What is career catfishing and how can HR help prevent it?

At some point in your HR career, you might feel like you've seen it all. But there’s always a new trend that comes along and proves you wrong.  

I feel that way about so-called “career catfishing.” This is a new workplace trend where applicants accept a job only never to be heard from again. And it’s especially common among Gen Z workers. According to research from CV Genius, 34% of Gen Z workers surveyed said they’ve engaged in career catfishing. 

It reminds me a lot of the ghosting we’ve seen on both sides of the hiring equation in recent years. And I should add that ghosting is a big no-no for employers. People talk about their interview experiences—often to a wide audience online—and before you know it, your organisation has a reputation for being unreliable, unresponsive, and unfair to candidates. 

On the candidate side, ghosting also happens during the hiring process. The difference between ghosting and this new term, career catfishing, is about the timing. You might find yourself ghosted by a candidate who doesn’t respond to your follow-up attempts after an initial phone screening or a series of interviews – while career catfishing takes it a step further. These candidates make it to the end of the hiring process, accept an offer, and then vanish into thin air. And that means it’s back to square one in filling a role, wasting your organisation’s time and money. 

With such a volatile economic climate and an unpredictable job market, you might think career catfishing contradicts current events. So, let’s look at some possible causes of this trend and what we in HR might be able to do to prevent it.  

Why does career catfishing happen? 

It’s true that every job seeker has their own unique motivations based on things like their finances, the industry they work in or want to work in, and whether they’re currently employed. But there are a few factors that can potentially contribute to career catfishing: 

Frustration with the hiring process 

After sitting through multiple rounds of interviews, sometimes with long stretches of time between them or between interview and offer, applicants are fed up. Career catfishing could be retaliation against a frustrating and tedious hiring process.  

Uncertainty in the job market 

A lengthy job search can cause applicants to accept the first job offer that comes their way. When they have second thoughts about their potential employer, career catfishing is a way to undo a decision made in desperation.  

Multiple job offers 

Despite a tighter job market, candidates can still end up with multiple offers – especially those with in-demand skills. Career catfishing can be seen as a non-confrontational solution if they accept an offer from a different company after accepting yours.  

Lack of transparency 

To get the talent they need, some employers can mislead potential employees about everything from compensation packages to work environments to flexibility. But with online review sites and other resources, it’s easier than ever for applicants to figure out the truth, which can lead to career catfishing. 

What can employers do about career catfishing? 

So, how can HR pros prevent career catfishing? Ultimately, we can’t control the actions of candidates. But we can control how we as employers show up to the hiring process and how we treat applicants. Here’s what I recommend: 

Advertise real, open roles 

According to a Resume Builder survey, three in 10 companies currently have fake jobs posted. While I’m sure organisations have what they feel are valid reasons and strategies for why they post these so-called “ghost jobs,” the result is the same – it erodes trust. 

Some candidates are now resentful of organisations advertising fake roles, which creates skepticism. Candidates start to wonder: If they’re willing to trick people about job openings, what else is this company not being truthful about? 

By ensuring you advertise only real, open positions, you build trust that can help ensure their commitment when they sign the offer letter is still there on their start date. 

Streamline the hiring process 

We talked earlier in this post about candidate frustration with the hiring process. In today’s job market, it’s often drawn out with steps that could seem unnecessary, leaving applicants feeling like they’re just another resume to potential employers. 

Ensure you have an efficient hiring experience that also allows candidates to meet at least some of the people they’ll be working with. Establishing these connections can be the key driver for a candidate to accept a role – and show up on the first day – as it gives them a good sense of the team culture they’ll be joining.  

And be especially aware of speeding up the hiring process if you know they’re pursuing other opportunities. Knowing this in advance can also help you understand your competition and give you greater insight into what a candidate is looking for. 

If you’re stuck on how to streamline your hiring, today’s recruiting technology can help. The right system can help you quickly discover top talent in your candidate pools and automate time-consuming tasks so you can get down to business and fill open roles faster.  

Start onboarding early 

Weeks often pass between an offer being made and the candidate starting. This gives people a lot of time for second-guessing, and that’s especially true if they only hear radio silence from their future employer. 

Where possible, start the onboarding process much earlier than their first day at the new job. Whether it is reaching out with onboarding materials to complete in advance of their first day or providing helpful information a few times before they start, these intentional touchpoints will help them feel like a part of the team. Additional opportunities to stay current with the candidate include providing an agenda for their first day, brief snippets about the people they will be working most closely with, or a holiday and payroll calendar for their location. 

And who doesn’t like getting fun mail? Sending a welcome package with some company swag can go a long way toward driving a sense of connection and engagement with new hires. 

Finally, think about how your employer brand and reputation can mean the difference between securing top talent and career catfishing. People want to be proud of where they work. If you can give them that sense of pride on top of creating more dignity in the job search process and more connection in the gulf of time between when they accept and start a role, I think you’ll be far more likely to see them ready to hit the ground running on the first day.